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<a id="_msocom_1"></a>Corporate social responsibility as a nice-to-have is a relic of yesterday—whereas today, driving innovation through Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) can be a crucial competitive advantage for companies around the globe. This is especially true as we navigate complex, interconnected and global issues such as climate change, inequity and cybersecurity.

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VMware is proud to have had a positive environmental impact over the years through the inherent energy efficiency of our products and solutions. We recognized that we could amplify our impact even further by baking ESG into our organization and culture. That’s why we created a framework that clearly outlines our ESG strategy and goals with progress that we can measure. We call this our 2030 Agenda. 

We know that we have a long way to go to realize VMware’s vision to build a more sustainable, equitable and secure digital future for all. However, the last year showed that we are well positioned to accelerate this critical work in the coming years.  Our latest <a href="https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/docs/vmware-esg-report-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESG Report</a> shares customer stories and actions taken on our 30 cross-functional goals embedded within the 2030 Agenda.

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Here are a few of the highlights from the past year demonstrating our progress:   

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We invite you to learn more about our <a href="http://www.vmware.com/company/esg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2030 Agenda</a> and join us as we accelerate from strategy to action to drive outcomes of sustainability, equity and trust.

We’ll also be talking about ESG and sustainable product innovations next month at <a href="https://www.vmware.com/explore/us.html?src=so_6261c4a372891&cid=7012H000001KawBQAS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VMware Explore</a>. Learn more and <a href="https://event.vmware.com/flow/vmware/explore2022us/reg/form/contactInfo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">register</a> today.

Our 2022 ESG Report shows how VMware is accelerating into action by integrating sustainability, equity and trust into the core of our business. 

Our new ESG Report tells the story of how we’re integrating sustainability, equity and trust into the core of our business.

VMware’s 2022 ESG Report: How We’re Accelerating into Action

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VMware’s 2022 ESG Report 

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VMware’s 2022 ESG Report: How We’re Accelerating into Action  

Nicola Acutt

We're excited to announce our 2022 #ESG Report, highlighting our commitment toward creating a sustainable, equitable and secure future for all—and how we’re helping customers achieve those same goals. #VMware2030

You’ve probably read some less-than-flattering headlines about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives in recent months. ESG has been called everything from a “scam” and a “loser” to another example of “woke capitalism.” One thing is for sure: the heat of the spotlight has landed on ESG.

With this heat comes a few questions. How much should we worry about the scrutiny being heaped on ESG? And what, if anything, should we do about it?

On the first question, I’ll answer it plainly: I’m not worried, and I’m also not surprised. ESG is no passing fad. In fact, ESG investing is on track to exceed $50 trillion by 2025<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a>—serious money that would represent more than a third of all projected global assets under management. It was only a matter of time before those who benefit from the status quo started pushing back.

The second question is more complex. While some critics are clearly leveraging this issue for political purposes, others are raising valid points about the dangers of greenwashing and how ESG performance vs. impact are ultimately measured. This is where we have important work to do to ensure ESG drives value for all stakeholders.

The fact is, ESG has come of age in a bit of a “Wild West” environment<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a>. Demand for sustainable, socially conscious investments skyrocketed overnight, with many organizations eager to jump on the bandwagon. But without regulatory guidance or standards in place, pretty much anything could be labeled as ESG. That ambiguity created the situation we find ourselves in now: a mess of conflicting rankings and standards that makes it hard to differentiate those who are doing the work from those who are talking a good game.

Thankfully, this ambiguity should start resolving soon. The desire for better standardization is strong, with VMware recently joining more than 80 other companies in calling for global alignment on sustainability reporting<a href="#_ftn3" id="_ftnref3">[3]</a>. And with regulators from the United States and European Union poised to act in this space, I expect a consensus around ESG disclosures and standards to emerge within the next year or so.

But reporting standardization is only part of the puzzle that we still need to solve. It is not enough. For ESG to truly fulfill its potential, it also needs to create real-world impact. To me operationalizing a fully integrated ESG strategy that is focused on outcomes is the holy grail.

This issue was top of mind for the CEOS, board directors, investors and practitioners who gathered at the <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/business-and-society-program/esg-summit/">Aspen ESG Summit</a> last month. I was there to help lead the dialogue on building a corporate culture that’s fully fluent in ESG principles—and one of the key points I made was that there’s a big difference between expertise and fluency.

Many companies are currently building out their ESG expertise—hiring dedicated specialists, researching industry best practices, collecting and reporting data. But fluency requires something more.

Fluency happens when a company’s board, leadership team, and workforce are aligned around and share responsibility for creating ESG outcomes. It happens when an organization’s values, business model and ESG principles are one and the same. Put simply, it happens when ESG ceases to exist because it’s been naturally absorbed into a company’s culture and operations.

Achieving fluency is a journey, one we’re still only at the beginning of. But it is essential to delivering on the promise of ESG and creating the measurable impacts that will move us close to a more sustainable, equitable and resilient world.

As ESG comes off the sidelines and becomes more central to business operations around the world, it will continue to attract more scrutiny and criticism. These are growing pains in an emerging reality. But this isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of success. By focusing on transparent standards and real-world impact, we can achieve our ultimate goal: rendering ESG obsolete because it has become just the way business gets done.

This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites.

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<a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> Bloomberg, “ESG Assets Rising to $50 Trillion Will Reshape $140.5 Trillion of Global AUM by 2025, Finds Bloomberg Intelligence,” July 2021.

<a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> SDxCentral, “VMware VP: ESG Confronts Regulatory ‘Wild West’,” October 2021.

<a href="#_ftnref3" id="_ftn3">[3]</a> A4S, “Business and Finance Community Respond to the Proposed IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards,” July 2022.

As ESG becomes more central to business operations, it will continue to attract more scrutiny and criticism. But this is a sign of success.

As ESG becomes more central to business operations, it attract more scrutiny and criticism. But this is a sign of success.

ESG is Having Growing Pains. Here’s What Comes Next.

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ESG is Having Growing Pains. - VMware News and Stories

As #ESG becomes more central to business operations around the world, it will continue to attract more scrutiny and criticism. But this isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of success. Read more. #VMware2030

July 26 marks the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ― an important civil rights law that works to ensure all people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. At VMware, we believe that technology plays a critical role in building a digital future that is equitable, accessible and inclusive.

For putting this commitment into action, VMware received a top score on the 2022 Disability Equality Index® (DEI) and has been recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” by Disability:IN. Of 415 participants, 335 companies scored 80 or above, with VMware earning a score of 100.

The Disability Equality Index® (DEI) is the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool for the Fortune 1000 and Am Law 200 to measure disability workplace inclusion against competitors. Now in its eighth year, the DEI exists to help businesses make a positive impact on the unemployment and underemployment of people with disabilities.

“We’re proud to be recognized for VMware’s commitment in action to create a welcoming, inclusive workplace for employees of all abilities,” said Rachel Hodgson, Global POD Leader of the Disability@VMware Power of Difference (POD) community. “We also realize that we’re still a long way from true representation, and we’re continuing to do more work to make VMware a great place to work for all, including those with disabilities. We understand creating a more inclusive workplace – and encouraging others to do the same – requires sustained effort and greater integration of accessibility into our products, services and culture.”

“Disability inclusion is a rapidly expanding aspect of corporate culture, and it’s gratifying to partner with 415 companies on the 2022 Disability Equality Index,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN. “These top-scoring companies not only excel in disability inclusion, but many are also adopting emerging trends and pioneering measures that can move the disability agenda from accommodation to inclusion and ultimately, genuine belonging."

The DEI is a joint initiative between Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is acknowledged today as the most robust disability-inclusion assessment tool in business. It measures Culture & Leadership; Enterprise-Wide Access; Employment Practices (Benefits, Recruitment, Employment, Education, Retention & Advancement, Accommodations); Community Engagement; Supplier Diversity; Non-U.S. Operations (Non-Weighted).

VMware is striving to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace for employees of all abilities. Our goal is to foster a culture where everyone feels empowered by their unique talents and to work towards advancing VMware’s dialogue and progress on disability inclusion, accommodation strategies as well as physical and technological accessibility.

VMware believes that technology will play a critical role in building an equitable, accessible, and inclusive digital future for all. Our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, has committed to building disability inclusion into VMware’s leadership agenda as we join the <a></a><a href="https://www.thevaluable500.com/member/vmware">Valuable 500</a>. We are now part of a global business collective that is igniting systemic change and unlocking the business, social and economic value of more than 1 billion people with disabilities around the world.

Through our 2030 Agenda, VMware is building a more sustainable, equitable and secure future for all by embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) into everything we do, throughout our technology strategy, business model and culture.  As part of this agenda, we are redefining the workplace of the future through initiatives that include our DEI efforts. Learn more about <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">DEI</a> and <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html">ESG</a> at VMware.

VMware received a top score on the 2022 Disability Equality Index and has been recognized as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.

We're proud to be named a Disability Equality Index Best Place To Work for Disability Inclusion.

VMware Earns Top Score on Disability:IN’s 2022 Disability Equality Index

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VMware Earns Top Score on 2022 DEI - VMware News and Stories

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cbruce@vmware.com

#ThanksToTheADA for advocating people with disabilities have the same rights & opportunities as everyone else. Committed to #DisabilityInclusion, VMware is honored to receive a top score on @DisabilityIN @AAPD’s Disability Equality Index. #VMware2030

Did you know that the 50 million tonnes of e-waste generated every year will <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/un-report-time-seize-opportunity-tackle-challenge-e-waste">more than double</a> to 110 million tonnes by 2050, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the world? It’s an issue that is particularly close to home for those of us living in the UK – we are the second-largest producer of e-waste – commercial and domestic - per capita, generating up to 23.9kg of e-waste per head.<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a>

From a domestic waste standpoint, there are various initiatives across the country to help combat the issue. The UK’s largest technology retailer, Currys, recently announced a new ‘Long Live Your Tech’ commitment which aims to tackle e-waste by educating, supporting and helping consumers to make more informed choices when buying and disposing of technology.<a id="_ftnref2" href="#_ftn2">[2]</a>

The commercial aspect of the problem is a little more complicated. Businesses across the globe are digitally transforming and with that comes the need to balance building the platform for the digital experiences that customers will want tomorrow without throwing out what exists today. There are initiatives popping up to help reuse e-waste such as the Royal Mint recovering gold from electronic waste to use in its coins and bars, expecting to process up to 90 tonnes of UK-sourced circuit boards per week.<a href="#_ftn3" id="_ftnref3">[3]</a>

But really the responsibility lies with business leaders to try and figure out how to balance the need for digital transformation in the new hybrid world while ensuring that we don’t reach that 110 million figure. In this latest blog for our <a href="https://news.vmware.com/search/down%20to%20earth">Down To Earth</a> series, I discuss how our view of the hardware lifecycle should change and why business leaders need to demand greater transparency around disposal or re-use.

End of life doesn’t mean end of use

I had the pleasure to present at tech, film and music festival SXSW in March this year after which I took a question from someone in the audience asking, “what do you do with hardware once it’s been decommissioned? Is there best practice? How do we go about defining a policy?”.

These are exactly the questions all business leaders should be asking because the lifecycle of a device or platform goes beyond the point of decommission. As a company that handles over 20,000 pieces of equipment annually, we are continually looking at how we can extend the life of our equipment through re-use and resale and donation programmes.

When equipment is at the end of its useful life, it is decommissioned and then resold or disposed of, depending on the condition and the value. Some equipment, such as laptops and monitors, are also provided as loaner equipment internally, if they are in good condition.

The key is to work with certified electronics recyclers with industry accepted responsible disposal certifications, like <a href="https://e-stewards.org/">E-Stewards</a>, <a href="https://sustainableelectronics.org/r2/">R2</a> and ISO (<a href="https://www.iso.org/iso-9001-quality-management.html">9000</a>, <a href="https://www.iso.org/iso-14001-environmental-management.html">14000</a>, <a href="https://www.iso.org/standard/63787.html">450001</a>). They can ensure secure transportation, destruction, and recycling of end-of-life equipment, including secure processing of equipment at the sorting facilities, safe working conditions and proper destruction of media. They also harvest components that can be repurposed, extracting precious metals to be resold and responsible disposal of the remainder materials.

So, when creating your e-waste programme, identify your priorities for how you want your equipment to be handled. Then do your research into trusted and certified electronics recyclers and responsible disposable vendors that reflect those priorities.

Things become a little more complicated when you consider that many businesses today are making use of hardware that they don’t own. When you are consuming services from a public cloud provider and decide to change what you are using, where does the hardware that supported the old services go? Should you care? How does your consumption of someone else’s hardware fit into your ESG or CSR programme?

The answer is – just because it’s not your technology, doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions about how it is disposed of or reused. Otherwise, you are making your ESG commitments someone else’s problem. As business leaders, you need to ask your cloud providers to be transparent about the lifecycle – even after decommission – of the infrastructure that they’re using.

It's time to reduce and re-think e-waste

Our use of hardware is not going to reduce – in fact, it’s predicted to grow 7.6% in just 2022<a href="#_ftn4" id="_ftnref4">[4]</a> – so it’s more important than ever that companies put in place achievable, impactful e-waste programmes to do their bit in reducing and re-thinking e-waste.

Remember what Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA, said - “there is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere”. And it’s our responsibility to make sure it goes to the right somewhere.

<a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> Vanessa Forti, Cornelis Peter Baldé, Ruediger Kuehr and Garam Bel, “The Global E-waste Monitor 2020,” 2020.

<a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> Retail Times, “Currys moves nation’s e-waste problem into sharper focus with announcement of a new ‘Long Live Your Tech’ commitment,” March 2022.

<a href="#_ftnref3" id="_ftn3">[3]</a> Sky News, “Royal Mint to turn electronic waste into gold,” March 2022.

<a href="#_ftnref4" id="_ftn4">[4]</a> The Business Research Company, “Computer Hardware Global Market Report 2022,” February 2022.

Companies need to put achievable, impactful e-waste programmes in place to help reduce and re-think e-waste.

Business leaders need to demand greater transparency around disposal or re-use. More in our latest Down To Earth ESG series.

Are You Making E-Waste Someone Else’s Problem?

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Making E-Waste Someone Else's Problem- VMware News and Stories

Ed sits on VMware's EMEA Technical Leadership team, supporting pre-sales teams as they deliver solutions for customers looking to build multi-cloud application platforms for both modern and traditional apps. He leads a virtual team of Application Domain Architects who are responsible for taking VMware's value in this space to our customers, and in turn look after an EMEA-wide Subject Matter Expertise organisation.

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Ed Hoppitt

It’s more important than ever that companies put in place achievable, impactful #ewaste programmes to do their bit in reducing and re-thinking e-waste. Read more in our latest #DownToEarth #ESG series. #VMware2030

VMware announced that Vijay Pendakur has joined the company as their Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“We’re continuing to take action toward building and maintaining an inclusive culture where every employee at our company has an opportunity to thrive,” VMware Chief People Officer Betsy Sutter said. “Vijay is an exceptional talent, and we’re very excited that he has joined VMware. With Vijay at the helm, I’m excited to accelerate progress on our culture transformation journey, while building DEI into the operating rhythm and DNA of our business.”

"I am thrilled to join the team at VMware," said Pendakur. "Working with collaborators across VMware, including the company's energized Employee Resource Groups, known as the Power of Difference (POD) community, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to scale DEI efforts globally."

Pendakur joins VMware from Zynga, where he served as their first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. Prior to Zynga, he held several roles in the academic world, including campus-wide diversity efforts at Cornell University as the Robert W. and Elizabeth Staley Dean of Students and Presidential Advisor on Diversity and Equity. He has served in leadership roles at universities across the United States, with a consistent focus on diversity efforts and equity design strategy.

VMware is redefining the workplace of the future through initiatives that include diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As part of the company’s 2030 Agenda, VMware is committed to hiring 50 / 50 women and gender non-binary / men, and to achieving the goal of 50-percent of our managers identifying as a woman, gender non-binary, and/or from an underrepresented community by 2030.

VMware is building a more sustainable, equitable and secure future by integrating ESG goals across the company and aligning them with its core business strategy. These goals are reflected in the company’s 2030 Agenda, a decade-long ESG commitment and call to action to build a world in which its technology will make a positive impact on all its stakeholders.

Learn more about <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DEI</a> and <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESG</a> at VMware.

We're excited to welcome our new Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Vijay Pendakur.

Please join us in welcoming Vijay Pendakur, who has joined VMware as our Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion!

Introducing VMware’s Global Head of DEI Vijay Pendakur

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Introducing VMware’s Global Head of DEI - VMware News and Stories

Please join us in welcoming Vijay Pendakur, who has joined @VMware as our Global Head of #DEI! #VMware2030

Back when I was a girl on a hill outside of Johannesburg, dreaming of sucking up the world’s pollution with a <a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/2030-esg-agenda">giant vacuum</a>, I never imagined I would one day climb another hill—in a gondola, no less—with heads of state, billionaires, and even a few members of royalty. But at the World Economic Forum (WEF), held in the Swiss village of Davos, moments like this are the norm.

I was invited to the Annual Meeting of the Forum to share a business perspective on the role <a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/vmwares-journey-to-net-zero-and-you">nature-based solutions</a> play in strategies to achieve net-zero, like VMware’s <a href="https://www.vmware.com/content/microsites/en/global-impact.html">2030 Agenda</a>. And our team had a packed agenda. We were there to speak with global leaders about sustainability and the twin transitions happening in energy and digitalization, listen to policy concerns about digital and enterprise sovereignty and share our perspectives on the importance of a secure, interoperable and sustainable multi-cloud platform.

But as a first-time WEF participant, I didn’t fully know what to expect. Davos certainly attracts some of the world’s richest and most powerful people, leading to a fair amount of critique of the event’s ratio of discussion to action.<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a> Would the first WEF gathering since the beginning of the pandemic be more of the empty promises Greta Thunberg called out previously?<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a> Or could the current zeitgeist engender dialogue that leads to real solutions?

In my view, the answer is probably a bit of both.

A somber tone for the event was set by bookending addresses from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2022/sessions/special-address-by-volodymyr-zelenskyy-president-of-ukraine-8fb26bbcb1">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> and German Chancellor Schultz. While sobering, I still found optimism in the conversations. Yes, I heard ambitious promises and some action plans that seemed fuzzier than others. And yes, the parade of luxurious black “internal combustion engines” pulling up—mere steps from the Congress Centre—for meetings to discuss the urgency of net-zero efforts was not lost on me.

Digesting some of the contradictions, here’s the reality that I kept reminding myself of: we don’t have the luxury of using purity tests to discount discussions as important as addressing climate change, inequality and food security. These complex, interconnected and global issues need every nation, every industry and every business leader at the table and engaged. And the World Economic Forum absolutely succeeds at assembling many of the stakeholders who are in positions to move the needle.

Something that surprised me was the breadth and nuance of the discussions. There were very few “single-issue” conversations. Instead, there was a consistent thread of interconnected dialogues like energy, agriculture, health, digital transformation, cyber resilience and social justice, along with impacts of changing global structures and multilateralism.

For example, the war in Ukraine was obviously top of mind for every attendee. But I was struck by how many speakers drew a clear connection between the war and countries’ dependence on fossil fuels. Accelerating the transition to clean energy was presented as not only a way to achieve better environmental outcomes, but as a way to create more resilience and better foreign policy outcomes.

This search for win-win solutions defined many of my conversations at Davos. While there was a clear recognition that a better future will demand certain tradeoffs, there was also a wariness of polarization and the idea that we’re playing a zero-sum game. Put simply, it’s not a matter of investing in climate or energy, health or digitization. The world needs to invest in climate and energy and health and digitization—and when we do, the sum will be greater than the parts and we’ll all benefit.

By the end of my week in Davos, many connections were made, many conversations were had,  and I was witness to many commitments announced.<a href="#_ftn3" id="_ftnref3">[3]</a> Will this lead to measurable outcomes? It’s too soon to know for sure. The months and years ahead will reveal the actions behind the good intentions.

But my final impression from the World Economic Forum was one of hope.

After riding that gondola up to the ski chalet where the closing event was being held, I found myself among many of the “Davos elite” I’d brushed shoulders with the whole week —and I still felt a bit out of place. But then I spotted a table of young people—the Global Shapers,<a href="#_ftn4" id="_ftnref4">[4]</a> a group of amazing leaders under 30 who were invited to Davos to share and evolve their ideas for a better future. I recognized a few of them. They had been the first in line after my own session earlier in the week, eager to talk about how innovations like ML and LiDAR could support carbon auditing and verification for companies like VMware who have made commitments to planting <a href="https://news.vmware.com/esg/vmwares-journey-to-net-zero-and-you">trees</a> as part of our commitments. So, I approached their table—and they were kind enough to welcome me with open arms to join their table.

We immediately launched into a spirited discussion, and I got to hear more about their passions and projects. For instance, I learned about a project to regenerate and reforest the Sahel, an area stretching coast-to-coast from Senegal to Djibouti. But beyond the specifics of any one conversation, what struck me most about these Global Shapers was their clarity of purpose and optimism. It wasn’t a matter of if they would achieve their goals—but when. And that attitude was contagious.

That’s when I realized that this might be one of the most important parts of the World Economic Forum. It’s a convening that allows people and ideas to reconnect with the power of possibility. To remember that big things are achievable. To recharge our batteries for the journey ahead.

<a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> NPR, “Is Davos As Bad As Critics Say? Global Leaders Weigh In,” January 2020.

<a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> The Washington Post, “Greta Thunberg Says World Leaders’ Talk on Climate Change is ‘Blah Blah Blah’,” September 2021.

<a href="#_ftnref3" id="_ftn3">[3]</a> Fortune, “Davos 2022 Had Some Moments of Real Importance,” May 2022.

<a href="#_ftnref4" id="_ftn4">[4]</a> World Economic Forum, “Global Shapers,” 2011.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 Davos allowed us to reconnect, remember and recharge for the journey ahead.

A Davos spring: VMware's Nicola Acutt shares impressions from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

Impressions from the World Economic Forum

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Impressions from the World Economic Forum - VMware News and Stories

A Davos Spring: A First-Timer’s Impressions from the World Economic Forum

The @wef annual meeting allowed us to reconnect with possibilities, remember big things are achievable and recharge for the #ESG journey ahead. Read more from @VMware @NicolaAcutt. #wef22 #sustainability #VMware2030

Today, every organization needs technology to manage operations and deliver services. However, due to resource constraints and systemic inequities, many social-sector organizations have not yet fully recognized (or cannot afford to embrace) the benefits of technology or the importance of <a href="https://octo.vmware.com/the-imperative-of-nonprofit-digital-transformation/">digital transformation</a>.

That’s why VMware created <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TZ86HEakg0">Good Gigs Projects</a> — an OCTO program that encourages co-innovation amongst VMware people and with the nonprofits of their choice. The program strengthens nonprofit tech capacity through what VMware calls “Tech Pro Bono Service Learning” (or just “Tech Pro Bono”). With this support, the Malala Fund team created more efficiencies around day-to-day operations, and they’re able to spend more time working toward their mission – a world where all girls can access 12 years of free, safe, quality education.

Nearly 130 million girls were out of school before the pandemic — and 20 million more may be out of school by the time this crisis is truly over. In addition to the pandemic, girls’ access to education continues to be disproportionately impacted by issues like conflict, racial discrimination or devastation from climate change and natural disasters. It doesn’t take much to expose the fragility of our support systems and the depths of global inequality. But <a href="https://malala.org/">Malala Fund</a> prefers to focus on the strength of girls around the world and their determination to learn, whatever obstacles life throws their way.

The international nonprofit team invests in local education activists ​​and advocates who are working to help girls across nine countries go to school. They also amplify the voices of young women fighting for chance and advocate for the policies and resources needed to help all girls learn. A quality education provides girls with the skills they need to thrive, more job opportunities and greater independence. Meanwhile, communities and workplaces benefit from greater diversity and fresh perspectives.

“We believe all girls are entitled to 12 years of free, safe, high-quality education,” explained Amanda Cosby, chief operating officer at Malala Fund. “Being able to react quickly is fundamental to dealing with the challenges these girls are facing, and technology is a driving force that makes that happen.”

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Malala Fund met the Good Gigs team and VMware principal partner, Insight, in 2018. They formed an alliance that demonstrates just how much impact the right technology and a little expert guidance can have.

In a sector where time is the most valuable resource, the team worked together to give every employee more time from the moment they start work. They began by helping Malala Fund better control corporate-owned-personally-enabled (COPE) devices.

“Onboarding, offboarding and device management were slow and manual. Now we can empower staff to hit the ground running with a personalized digital workspace, single sign-on and higher levels of security from day one,” added Cosby.

The fight for equality is a battle against age-old prejudices that have no place in the modern world. But not everyone is happy about it. Keeping data secure doesn’t just protect sensitive personal details; it’s vital to protect the safety of Malala Fund staff, partners and recipients and to make sure nothing derails its mission.

As for giving back more time, it’s not just Cosby banking more minutes for the operations team. Staff can pick from a catalog of 20 relevant apps without having to remember 20 unique logins every day — a headache we can all relate to.

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The Right Tools at the Right Time

With global operations, field staff in remote areas, and a turbulent global stage, agility is also a priority for Malala Fund.

“VMware Workspace ONE gives us a central console to manage devices anywhere in the world,” explained Cosby. “If a laptop is stolen, I can wipe it in seconds. And when the pandemic hit, we could make emergency funds available to scale up digital programs while classrooms were closed.”

This level of visibility wouldn’t be possible without centralized data and strong collaboration between staff and partners who run the programs. Luckily, the team already had the necessary tools to take meetings online when flights were grounded and could continue working with no downtime.

“We ask our team to be contactable at all times. Other than that, where, when and how they work is up to them. With hassle-free technology, they’re free to focus completely on what matters most: getting more girls back in the classroom,” concluded Cosby.

Nonprofit digital transformation is made possible with programs like Good Gigs. Learn how it changed Malala Fund.

With the support of Good Gigs Projects, the Malala Fund team created more efficiencies around day-to-day operations, and they’re able to spend more time working toward their mission – a world where all girls can access 12 years of free, safe, quality education.

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Nonprofit Digital Transformation: Malala Fund | VMware News & Stories

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Over the past year, VMware’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) journey has been marked by renewed purpose and real progress. We have implemented strategies that are embedded into the rhythm of the business in order to accelerate achieving our DEI goals more consistently.

Our just-releasesd <a href="https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/company/vmw-annual-report-2022.pdf">2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Report</a> details these strategies and demonstrates that at VMware, we affect progress in the world by creating it together.

I encourage you to read the full report to understand the important work that is underway at VMware to ensure DEI doesn’t remain limited to well-meaning intentions but show up as actions that each of us take to drive meaningful outcomes for communities both within and beyond VMware.

As a preview, I’m sharing some of the highlights from the report:

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The acronym, GO stands for Guided by Outcomes, and GO Hire is focused on bringing greater equity to the hiring process. Rather than hiring from a limited list of qualifications, VMware’s GO Hiring model broadens the search to include people from all walks of life whose unique talents, experiences, and skills are valued. Our interview model assesses past performance in an approach that includes <a href="https://news.vmware.com/company/vmwares-culture-built-epic2-values">EPIC2</a> strengths, expertise and motivation.

With this inclusive hiring method, VMware has not only gained 80% more applicants, but we have also doubled the number of applicants that are women and people who identify as part of an underrepresented community.

Going forward, we are expanding the GO Hiring model for all new job requisitions globally. Additionally, we’re creating a consistent job description format for a more inclusive applicant pool as well as a consistent interview format to eliminate bias and create a more positive candidate experience.  These changes are important, strategic steps to enhance our culture and strengthen our future.

Our Commitment to a Global, Distributed, and Diverse Workforce

The global pandemic dramatically changed the way we all work. Keeping the health and safety of VMware people in focus, nearly all of our employees worked remotely for the most part of 2020 and 2021.  

We recognized the virtue of this necessity: a global increase in the representation of women and people who identify as an underrepresented minority in VMware’s workforce. VMware’s population of remote employees doubled since early 2020 and now make up 1/3 of our workforce. 33% of all remote hires in Fiscal Year 2022 were women and 16% from underrepresented minorities (URM). Remote and distributed work made it easier to build gender, educational, and generational diversity.

By sourcing talent from around the world, we support our goal of building a diverse talent pool with different perspectives and experiences to shape our future. And by giving people the flexibility to choose where they work means we don’t have to grow our real-estate portfolio to match our increasing employee population. At VMware, our mindful, new ways of working are designed to have a positive impact on both our people and our planet.

A great working relationship is like a conversation where ideas and experiences are honestly exchanged. At VMware, we’re now capturing these ideas and thoughts from employees in two-way dialogues through reverse mentorship.  These valuable listening sessions for leaders occur in a 6-month program designed to develop DEI-minded leaders, create an understanding of differences and engage, retain, and grow diverse talent.

Our program is proving to be a win-win scenario.  Mentors have gained valuable access to, and insight into leadership while our mentee-leaders increased their awareness and empathy of the challenges faced by a diverse group of employees.

As our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, eloquently states in the report, “Each person is on a journey and their journeys are our story.” <a></a><a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Please visit our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion webpage to learn more</a>. This year, we look forward to a new chapter in our VMware story that all 38,000+ employees will create together yet also one to which each of us will uniquely contribute.

Over the past year, VMware’s DEI journey has been marked by renewed purpose and real progress. Read our DEI Report about the work underway.

Today, we are proud to share @VMware’s 2022 DEI Report, highlighting our commitments in action over the past year to equitably engage and grow our workforce to be even more representative of our customers, partners, and the communities where our people live and work. Dive into the full report.

VMware 2022 DEI Report

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Creating Meaningful Change Together - VMware News and Stories

Just released! @VMware’s 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report details the critical work underway at our company to drive meaningful outcomes for communities both within and beyond VMware. Our #VMware2030 and #DEI journey is well-underway!

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